Chaos Erupts at Rabat Mayoral Election, Vote Postponed Amid Accusations

Lack of consensus and non-compliance with the coalition agreements planned between the National Rally of Independents (RNI), the Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM), the Popular Movement (MP) and the Istiqlal Party (PI), accusations of threats and corruption, altercations between the various supporters and supporters of the candidates for the presidency of the City Council, leading to the intervention of the security forces... In Rabat, things did not go as planned.

Asmae Rhlalou, RNI’s candidate for the presidency, accuses the USFP of having threatened to kill elected officials from her party and tried to buy their votes. "All this is documented and recorded and is the subject of a complaint to the judicial police," says a statement from the party. Accusations have also been made against Omar El Bahraoui, the RNI’s top candidate within the El Youssoufia district. He is accused of having campaigned for Hassan Lachgar, the USFP’s candidate for the presidency, to the detriment of his own camp. In the aftermath, a councilor was taken to the hospital after losing consciousness, reports PAM councilor Abdelfattah Elaouni.

These incidents prompted the authorities to postpone the election of the mayor of the capital until further notice.